Crossroads at Big Creek

is a preserve for

experiential

lifelong learning

focused on

science, history, and

the environment.

Board of DirectorsLuke Collins, Treasurer

Colleen ElliottFran Everson

Robert Gray, SecretaryRichard HauserMark HonoldMatt Luders

Greg Meissner, Vice PresidentGretchen Schmelzer

Dick Weidman, PresidentTom VoegeleDwight Zeller

StaffCoggin Heeringa, Director, Naturalist

Rich Propsom, Property & Facilities Manager

2041 Michigan St.Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

920-746-5895crossroadsatbigcreek.org

Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc. - Scientific, Historical & Environmental Learning Preserve Vol. 13, Issue 3 - Winter 2015

You certainly do not have to strain your brain over the theme of ‘Giving‘ thisholiday season. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday to Tuesday Day of Giving, itseems that we are bombarded with ads and peer pressure to buy and buy and buyso that we can give and give and give. Sometime, however, we need to rise above allthis buying and giving and take stock of what we are grateful for.

At Crossroads our gratitude this year is reflected in all we have accomplishedthrough the generosity and help from all our friends.

We made the Collins Learning Center structurally sound again with some majorrenovations to the south side of the building.

We transformed a dusty and dingy basement storage area into a very accommo-dating, bright and purposeful instructional meeting space.

We continued to develop the trail system at Ida Bay, opening new outdoor hikingexperiences for everyone who ever wondered what was inside that chain link fencefor all those years. We also managed to remove most of the fence thanks to one ofour neighbors, Dennis Hayes.

Discovering what was behind that fence proved to be a major archeological findthat involved hundreds of enthusiastic students from schools far and near.

We also managed to hire a Crossroads neighbor, Rich Propsom, as our muchneeded Property and Facilities Manager. His enthusiasm and energy has been re-flected in many projects at Ida Bay and future projects at the Cove that will makethe property more accessible for a wide range of outdoor activities.

The Maki Arboretum Project is underway and promises to provide ample learningopportunities for students young and old to discover both woody and herbaceousplants of Door County and Wisconsin.

With solar panels added and a new home for The Friends Ski-For-Free Programthis winter (Think Snow), our maintenance building is fulfilling its anticipated need.

Add in all the other accomplishments of volunteer groups, Boy Scout projects andwilling area students and we have a great deal of good to be grateful for this year.

So yes, giving is a big part of the Season, but being grateful and thankful for whatthat giving accomplishes is truly the reason for the Season.

Have a Memorable Holiday.Dick Weidman,

President, Board of Directors at Crossroads

A Season of Gratitude

Bigger & Much Better

In 1994… back when Crossroads was a school forest andyears before the Collins Learning Center was built … Ivan Bissen donated our parking lot. He claimed that he “did it forthe children.” Children did benefit. As soon as we had a park-ing lot, school buses began delivering students to our preserve.

Now, some 20 years later, the parking lot has had several top-coats plus countless repairs and patches. And yellow busescontinue to drop off children. This year, by the end of Novem-ber, 2,075 Door County students had participated in field tripsto Crossroads.

While our dedication to children has not waivered, we haveexpanded our programs to adult education and also offer anumber of workshops and special events for learners of allages. Year to date, 4,765 adults have attended classes at theCollins Learning Center and several thousand more have attended special events such as Door County Reads and theSustainable Living Fair.

Not only is our original parking lot in disrepair (due in part to water table issues) but it simply is not large enoughto accommodate our adult learners. Twoor three time each week, we run out ofparking spaces.

In 2016, we hope to expand our park-ing lot … and to expand it in an environ-mentally responsible way. At this time,we are exploring options for engineeringa parking lot that will protect our waterand wildlife resources while meeting theneeds of our many users.

We understand this will cost a greatdeal more than a conventional treat-ment, but Crossroads is committed tobeing a role model of environmentalstewardship.

To participate, fill out the donor form on page 7 and return in the reply envelope or donate online at: www.crossroadsatbigcreek.org

Crossroads at Big Creek lends, free of charge, an array of ski and snowshoeequipment, sizes to fit age 3 through large adult. When trail conditions permit,go to the Crossroads Maintenance Building where our volunteers will fit youwith equipment, share a few pointers and a trail map and send you out ongroomed (classical and skate) ski or hiking trails. When you have finished, return your equipment and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.

THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS: 11:00 - 3:30 (when snow is adequate)

Sponsored by Friends of Crossroads and Door County Silent Sports Alliance.

Autumn Giving Gifts made fromSeptember 1 - November 30

$50,000 - $99,999The Estate of Wayne & Patricia Eastman

$25,000 - $49,999Anonymous

$10,000 - $24,999Don and Coggin HeeringaEstate of Ray Stonecipher

$2,500 to $4,999Anonymous

$1,000 to $2,499Door County Silent Sports Alliance Joy Maccaux Marian Hislop Charitable Lead Trust Ministry Door County Midwest Archaeological Consultants John and Nancy Munch Nancy Snyder

$500 to $999Lee and Susan Basten Breakfast Rotary Club Cellcom John and LeeAnn Harling Ann and David Harsh Diane Jome John and Karen Kierstyn Karl and Lucy Klug Ed and Cindy Koutnik Master Gardeners of Door CountyDave and Jackie Udell

$250 to $499David and Janet Daniel Leroy and Marilyn Liebe Margaret Madel Anonymous

$100 to $249Carol Bockhop

James and Barbara Bunning John and Cathy Campbell Karen Cowen Dorene Dempster and Mark Herrell John FulkersonWilliam and Cleid Galligan Howard H. Hintze De Anne Hoffmann Nancy Mattke Al Miller and Vicki Dirst Eric and Dee Paulsen Tony Polonus Kathy Rowe William and Mary Jo Schaars Nancy Tong Rob and Cathy Vuksanovic Norm and Mabel WatkinsHal and Shirley Winbourough Wild Ones of Door County

$50 - $99Peter and Carol ClikemanGeorge and Margaret CollierJane Gurthrie Doug and Barbara Henderson Louis and Rosemary Janda Paul and Kanai King Jerry and Nan Krause Andrew and Clare Lubar Bill and Betty Parsons Raymond and Lee Vlaming

$1 - 49Heidi BaderJeanne BarnardJohn and Carol Bartoszek Pat BlizelJane and Randy BumgardnerRose CoismanElaine Cregan Catherine EckersTravis Grooters

Marjorie Grutzmacher Nicole HerbstDeborah JeanquartLucille Kirkegaard Tammy KrollThomas and Suzanne Kuffel Jim and Valerie Maki Harry and Judy Porter Matt PropsomAnn QualeBelinda RichardJohn RosenthalRod and Marian Schlise Jeanne SchopfEdward Schriner-SchmittGeorge and Susan Sergeant Scott SteebsJames TellstromRandy WatermolenJolene WilsonClifford WindCarmen Youra

Memorials of…Ralph Berg Valerie and Jim Maki

Rod Bohn Harry and Judy Porter Don and Coggin Heeringa

Betty Carstens Eric and Dee Paulsen

Allen Everson George and Susan Sergeant

Jill Harding Jane Guethrie Coggin Heeringa

R.J. Ullman Eric and Dee Paulsen

Mary Wanke Coggin Heeringa Karen and Diane Jome Eric and Dee Paulsen

$500 Level C & S Manufacturing Midwest Archaeological Consultants Ross Estate Planning Thrivent Financial - Jaqueline Szczepanski

$250 Level Bayside Home Medical Eagle Mechanical Pinkert Law Firm LLC Viking Electric Supply

$100 Level Bob the Painter - Bob Ryan Dorsal, Inc. Going Garbage Gordon’s West Side Electric Jeanquart Associates LfpDesign! LLC Peninsula Veterinary Clinic Reliable Auto Sales Roen Salvage Wulf Brothers / HiTec Fabrications

Business MembersAsk about this

giving opportunity

Gerry BanksPatty ClarkDoor County AdvocateDoor County Daily News.comDoor County Historical SocietyDoor County Silent Sports AllianceDoor Peninsula Astronomical Society

Fran and Arliss EversonFriends of CrossroadsDennis HayesMaster Gardeners of Door CountyMidwest Archaeological ConsultantsPeninsula PulseRaibrook FoundationSturgeon Bay UtilitiesWDOR

Special Thanks!

❏ $250 Wetland Club❏ $500 Big Creek Club

❏ $1,000 Hillcrest Club❏ $5,000 Preservation Club

❏ $50 Prairie Club❏ $100 Forest Club

❏ I would also like to donate $ __________________ to:❏ Parking Lot Project ❏ Dock for Big Creek Cove ❏ Archaeology Project

Name __________________________________________________________________________________ ____

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone _________________________________ E-mail ______________________________________________

❏ Yes, you may list my name for donor recognition❏ Please do not list my name❏ Please do not send fund raising materials in the future.

(if you would like to receive notes on upcoming events)

Enclosed is a check to help meet the program and operation expenses at Crossroads.

Please make checks payable to:Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc. PO Box 608, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Crossroads at Big Creek is a preserve for experiential lifelong learning focused on science, history, and the environment.

Yes! I (we) want to be a part of Crossroads at Big Creek.

Crossroads at Big Creek is a private 501(c)(3) organization.

It was just a year ago that, with financial help from many of you,Crossroads acquired the 9-acre Big Creek Cove property which included a dock. Then last winter, the rising water in the bay of Sturgeon Bay caused the deck of that dock to float away.

We hope to replace it with a 100’ dock with an 8’x 10’ platform.

The dock/observation deck would serve as a kayak or canoe landing,observation deck, work surface for lessons and research, and a hikedestination, increasing both the educational and recreational potential for Crossroads.

The design, which was selected at the November meeting of theCrossroads Board of Directors, is a modular floating dock. Materialsand installation will cost about $20,000. It is the Crossroads policy that for each major project, we now raise an additional 20% to fund a reserve account for on-going maintenance. Consequently, ourfundraising goal for this project is $24,000. A gift of any size would help us reach our goal.

A Dock in the Bay

Old dock frame

Photo by Mike Grota

Box 608, 2041 Michigan StreetSturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Crossroads - Volume 13, Issue 3 - Winter 2015

Crossroads at Big Creek, Inc. does not discriminate in any programs oractivities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.

Photo by Tina Gohr - Door County Advocate

Wildlife Corridors2016 Crossroads at Big Creek Educational Theme:

2016 Goals:• Replace/expand our current Parking Lot in an environmentally responsible way

• Install a dock/landing/observation deck for Big Creek Cove

• Create a native plant garden for birds & butterflies (while solving some drainage issues) in the area between the rock garden and driveway

• Begin planting in the Maki Arboretum

• Paint Collins Learning Center exterior

• Continue archaeological investigations

• Conduct a feasibility study for an Outdoor Center for Crossroads

A wildlife corridor is defined as: “a strip of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures. Corridors moderate effects of habitatfragmentation, wherein urbanization can split up habitat areas,causing animals to lose the ability to move between regions inorder to use all of the resources they need to survive.”